every time I watch this movie 2 things come to mind. 1 why to a get teary eyed every time I watch it even when I now know every square inch of the movie. and 2 how in the hell did this movie not even get so much as a nomination.this movie is GREAT and it's a shame to see so many haters on IMDb ruin its score.all actors in it deliver some of the best performances of their careers and mixed in with great directing and best of all a strong plot.you leave return to paradise asking your self repeatedly would i go back? you even discuss it with your friends but you don't want to ruin it for them so you tell them to watch it just so that you can talk about it.one of my favorite movies in any category 10/10

I am not a Fan of Drama/romantic Movies, but This Movie should have been overloaded with awards! smartly written, strong editing and great acting.Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche are brilliant in their roles especially Anne Heche. I was never a fan of Vince Vaughn, but this was a great performance from Him.Anne Heche took her character to another level. Joaquin Phoenix performance is very realistic.One of the strengths of this film are the things in between. Afterwards, you can ask yourself if Beth is an actual Lawyer. Whether the proposal of three years actually has been and not concocted by Beth. And what were the motives of Sheriff. Yet the morally or in love with Beth. The two story lines are beautifully interwoven in each other with surprising twists here and there.The only down point from this movie is that the director misused Heche by not giving her good camera angles and coverage of her expressive face. 'Return to Paradise' is one of the most underrated films ever. It deserved at least two Oscar nominations. Best actress: Anne Heche, Best supporting actor: Joaquin Phoenix Even if you do not like this kind of movie, the movie is worth seeing for the performances which unfortunately have pretty much gone unrecognized. Check it out. Score: 9 out of 10

In Malaysia, three men have fun fornicating with local women, drinking booze and smoking hashish. When their extended vacation ends, limo driver Vince Vaughn (as John "Sheriff" Volgecherev) and architect David Conrad (as Tony Croft) return to New York. Environmentally conscious Joaquin Phoenix (as Lewis "Lew" McBride) decides to stay and work with endangered orangutans. Two years later, Mr. Vaughn is approached by attractive blonde lawyer Anne Heche (as Beth McBride). She tells Vaughn that, after he left Malaysia, local police arrested Mr. Phoenix for drug possession...Phoenix has spent two years in prison and will be hanged in eight days. However, if Vaughn returns to serve his "share" of the time, Phoenix will be permitted to live. Also, if Ms. Heche can get both Vaughn and Mr. Conrad to return to Malaysia and serve time in prison, they can split the six year sentence; then, each man is expected to serve three years. Since Phoenix has already served two years, perhaps the Vaughn and Conrad should also serve two...Of course, this is an absurd scenario. By offering this deal, the Malaysian authorities have acknowledged Phoenix is not solely responsible for the crime (or a drug "dealer"). They accept the three men were partners; apparently; they only question whether or not Phoenix's friends will appear in court. When considering their options, Vaughn and Conrad should have decided to immediately involve US diplomats and officials in this blatantly dubious proposal...Since we're expected to buy the premise, we are watching to see whether Vaughn and Conrad accept their responsibility. Phoenix has a fun role for an actor, act like a stoner and become slightly unhinged in prison. Conrad gets to telegraph inner conflicts, but he and Phoenix are not the focus. Vaughn is really the leading player, with Heche his co-star. They and director Joseph Ruben do all right with the material they are given, but there is no great moral anguish on display. Unfortunately, there is a shift from "morality tale" to "love story" - not unexpected, but it becomes too dominant.***** Return to Paradise (8/10/98) Joseph Ruben ~ Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche, Joaquin Phoenix, David Conrad

I would recommend this film as more valuable than the Bible or Koran as a moral guide. It has no morale meaning, but nonetheless, the name genius would not be an exaggeration when talking about the director's film-making skills. The meat-head bloke was a great actor, as was the elf chick who should have been in Lord of the Rings. We feel delighted that the bloke who decided to help his friend got locked up, and got rewarded by seeing his friend die. Shouts out to the female journalist who broke the story, shouts out to all the news corporations of he world. It is up there with the classics, like Top Gun, and other moral dramas. A shame about the soundtrack, all it was lacking was a bit of Charles & Eddie.